Li Mu's aunt Xiao Yunzhi and aunt Xiao Yunlan arrived together. When the aunt entered the door, she congratulated Li Mu's family and then apologized, saying that Li Mu's uncle and cousin went back to their hometown together last week, so she was here alone today.
The aunt's family of three is complete, with her husband Zeng Jiwei and her eight-year-old daughter Zeng Jing.
After entering the door, the aunt only said hello to Li Mu's mother, then ignored Dad Li and went straight to Li Mu's grandparents. Li Mu had been observing the aunt from a distance and saw a hint of anger between her eyebrows. dislike.
Dad Li was a little embarrassed, so his uncle quickly took out a cigarette and handed one to Dad Li: "Brother-in-law, have a cigarette."
At this time, my uncle and aunt opened the door and walked in.
As soon as they opened the door, they were shocked by the size of the private room in front of them. They exchanged a look and suppressed their surprise.
"Brother and sister-in-law, you are here." Li Mu's mother saw the two entering the private room and greeted them with a smile.
Li Daoping also nodded slightly and said hello: "Brother and sister-in-law are here."
Uncle Xiao Yunjian nodded calmly, then glanced at the two bottles of Maotai on the dinner table, then looked at Li Daoping, and said with a bit of seriousness: "Daoping, it's really gratifying that Xiao Mu did well in the exam, but you Since when have you become so fond of formalism? You have to pay for Xiao Mu’s tuition fees for the next six months with this meal?”
Li Daoping was a little embarrassed and blurted out that Li Mu earned the money. Unexpectedly, Li Mu snatched it away: "Uncle, my dad said that today is not mainly to celebrate my score, but to take this opportunity to be a family." Let’s get together, we haven’t had a meal together like this in a few years. The last time we had a meal was when my sister Yuanyuan was in college.”
Li Daoping glanced at Li Mu, then nodded as if he suddenly understood, and said with a smile: "Yes, brother, we are just having a meal together as a family. Xiao Mu still doesn't know if he can be admitted, so there is nothing to celebrate at this time. "
"Well, what school did Xiao Mu apply to?" the uncle said, walking to the dining table, picking up an open bottle of Moutai and sniffing it to his nose.
The sauce aroma of the national wine is so unique! It costs several hundred yuan a bottle, and even he himself can't drink it more than two or three times a year.
Li Ma said at this time: "Xiao Mu applied to Renmin University."
"Renmin University?" The uncle frowned and put the wine back on the table: "636 points are indeed not low, but if you go to Renmin University, isn't it a bit high?"
Dad Li chuckled: "The child decides for himself."
At this time, my aunt asked: "Which school did you apply for as your second choice?"
Li Mu responded: "I didn't apply for my second choice."
"Didn't apply?" The eldest aunt looked stunned, and after a moment she said with a rich expression: "Oh, if I don't get admitted to Renmin University, can I repeat it for another year?"
As soon as these words came out, everyone in the room looked over.
They were shocked by Li Mu's behavior for applying to a college with such a high threshold for applying to his first choice but not yet applying for his second choice.
However, Li Mu didn't pay attention. Anyway, he knew the situation and the National People's Congress would definitely be able to leave, so he was not going to continue this topic and said to his father: "Dad, we are all here. Please say hello and sit down."
Only then did Dad Li react and hurriedly smiled and asked his grandparents and others to sit down.
The uncle was suspicious, and as soon as he and his wife sat down, Xiao Yunlan, the younger sister, took the initiative to come to his side.
They happened to be sitting across from each other at the huge table with the three members of Li Mu's family. The aunt covered her mouth and asked in the uncle's ear: "Brother, didn't the meal cost a lot today?"
The uncle smacked his lips and said in a low voice: "Two bottles of Maotai and eight cold dishes. Li Daoping is risking his life. Although the hot dishes haven't been served yet, looking at the situation, it will cost three to five thousand yuan."
"Good boy!" My aunt was extremely surprised: "You said he is always stingy. What happened today? He is so willing to spend money?"
The uncle said: "I don't know, are you getting rich?"
"Just him?" My aunt curled her lips and said, "You don't know what Xiling Coal Mine is like? I guess he and my second sister can only earn one thousand seventy-eight dollars a month now."
The uncle nodded and asked, "How is the business of your children's clothing store lately?"
"It's not bad." The aunt said with some melancholy: "This year is not very good. There are too many children's clothing sellers, and they all purchase goods from the south, competing for customers and lowering prices. This year is already halfway through, and after all, I have made a profit of 1 Ten thousand dollars.”
As he said that, several waiters served six hot dishes in succession. The uncle took one look at it and sighed to his aunt: "Li Daoping's meal is almost enough to cover your first quarter's income."
The aunt laughed twice: "I guess Li Daoping feels that he can't hold his head high in front of our family. This time, taking advantage of his son's high score in the exam, he went out of his way to earn some face."
At this time, under Li Mu's urging, Dad Li stood up nervously, held a glass of wine, and said the opening remarks with a slight stutter. Then he gathered everyone to clink glasses and start using chopsticks.
The uncle took a few bites of food and said to Dad Li with ulterior motives: "Daoping, I heard that your Xiling Coal Mine has two batches of laid-off lists this year. The first batch has been announced, right?"
Li Muchin said that every time his uncle and aunt met they would talk about the Xiling Coal Mine. As long as this topic started, nothing good would happen.
Li Daoping nodded at this time: "It has been announced. The first batch of this year will be laid off at the end of this month. The list of the second batch will not be announced until November."
"You and Yunfang are not among the first batch, right?"
Li Daoping took a sip of wine and said, "Without us."
"That's good." The uncle chuckled: "As a big family, we worry about your family all day long. You said that the efficiency of your Xiling Coal Mine is getting worse and worse. If you say you are laid off, you will be laid off or if you say it is closed down. Just go bankrupt. Xiaomu is going to college this year. Tuition, fees, and living expenses are all a big expense. What will you do then? Even if you borrow money, you can only borrow it once or twice. Who will pay it back if it is too many times? Will I lend you money?"
Dad Li's expression was a little embarrassed, but he nodded repeatedly, looking like he was being taught. The uncle was the eldest son of the Xiao family, and he always used such a condescending and preaching tone with everyone.
Li Mu couldn't stand it. In his eyes, his uncle's words were hypocritical and unpleasant, as if he was afraid that his parents would ask him to borrow money in the future.
So, Li Mu said with an understatement at this time: "My uncle is right. My parents have been planning these days. The Xiling Coal Mine will not last long. They want to take the initiative to lay off their jobs and do some business."
Li's father and Li's mother both looked at Li Mu with surprised expressions. At this time, Li Mu gently patted their legs under the table. Before they could speak, he said again: "I also think it's good to do some business now. It’s much better than going to work.”
Everyone at the table was a little surprised. In their opinion, even though people all over the country went to sea, Li Daoping didn't know how to go to sea. He was the kind of cautious person. If he left the iron rice bowl, he might not even be able to sleep well!
At this time, the aunt said with a smile: "Oh, my second brother-in-law also wants to go to sea? It's really rare! I wonder what business you and my second sister want to discuss?"
Li Mu rushed to answer again: "My parents want to do some clothing business."
The aunt's face turned cold instantly, and her tone was a little unfriendly: "The clothing business is not something anyone can do if they want to. I have made some money working in a children's clothing store in the past few years, but you can't just watch me make money. My risk and hard work, the rent of my store is only 800 yuan a month, including water, electricity, industrial, commercial and sanitation fees, it is 1,000 yuan a month, and the store has to carry goods worth 20,000 to 30,000 yuan all year round. , it’s hard to make money.”
The aunt's fierce reaction made everyone a little stunned, but Li Mu quickly realized that the aunt had made some money by opening a children's clothing store in the past two years. At this time, she said that her parents wanted to start a clothing business. She probably thought that her parents wanted to leave her. It will compete with her, so she is a little extreme.
Li Mu smiled helplessly in his heart. He remembered his aunt's children's clothing store. It was opened in a relatively remote location on the old street. It was estimated that the total investment could not be more than 20,000 or 30,000 yuan. Moreover, she had the impression that she could not continue to work in that store after a few years. How could I let my parents take this route
So, Li Mu said with a smile: "Auntie, don't be nervous. My parents are not planning to start a children's clothing business and will not compete with you."
The aunt immediately breathed a sigh of relief, and then realized that her behavior just now was a bit extreme, and quickly covered it up: "I'm not afraid that your family will compete with me, but the main reason is that the children's clothing business is really not that easy to do. Don't think too much about it. If you really If you want to make children’s clothing, I can introduce you to my purchasing channels when the time comes.”
Li Mu smiled slightly: "No need, auntie, my parents are still in the process of opening a store, and we will have to wait for more than a month at the earliest before we can make a decision."
Li Mu's parents looked at each other. They had never thought about doing business, let alone a clothing business. At this time, Li Mu was talking nonsense in front of all his relatives. Both of them wanted to explain, but when they thought about Li Mu's previous After explaining, Li's father and Li's mother had no choice but to suppress their doubts.
Grandpa then asked Li's mother: "Yunfang, Xiaomu is going to college this year, and you are planning to open a clothing store. It will cost a lot of money, right? If you need help from me and your mother, you two will let us know. How much do we, the old couple, need?" Can be of some help.”
The aunt also said: "Yes, Yunfang, if you need money, just tell me and I will help you find a way."
My eldest aunt quickly expressed her position at this time: "Our family is not doing well this year, but if you really open a clothing store, our family can still make a few thousand dollars if we think of a way. The main reason is that girl Yuanyuan, who goes to school in Jinling. Money is needed for various things, and this girl spends money all day long without knowing any frugality."
Li Mu felt funny in his heart. His aunt's words seemed like she wanted to help, but in fact, she basically blocked the possibility. Under normal circumstances, for this reason, no one would ask to borrow money again. Even if it was borrowing, it would just be A few thousand yuan at most.
This unexpected move from the aunt was also interesting to Li Mu.
At this moment, the door of the private room was pushed open, and a round-faced girl in her early twenties pushed the door and came in: "Who said I spent money randomly all day long."
(End of chapter)